Thrashed for stalking married woman, man tries to burn her

Dec 12, 2012, 07:10 IST
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Shiva Devnath

Had been beaten in public by the victim's husband; barged into her neighbour's room where she was watching TV, sprayed a mosquito repellant at her face and set the chemical on fire using a lighter, burning her hair, back, and neck

A 29-year-old man who was in love with a married woman tried to burn her face after her husband thrashed him for stalking her.

The victim, Shraddha Landge (23), is married to Shashikant, an autorickshaw driver.

Crime of passion: Sachin Gangaram Shigwan (above) set (top) Shraddha Landge on fire after her husband beat him up for confessing to have fallen in love with her

Shraddha and the accused Sachin Gangaram Shigwan have been neighbours for a while. After Sachin lost his wife and son, he developed a passion for Shraddha.

For the past year, Sachin had been trying to ingratiate himself to Shraddha. He would allegedly call Shraddha and Shashikant separately and try to instigate each against the other.

Four months ago, Shashikant realised Sachin’s intentions, when the latter confessed to him that he was in love with Shraddha.

On December 9, Shashikant beat him up in public, sowing the seeds of vengeance in Sachin’s mind.

Yesterday, Shraddha was watching TV at her neighbour Minal Zamin’s residence. Another neighbour, 18-year-old Shabana Shaikh was giving her company. Suddenly, Sachin barged into the house with his hands folded behind him, looking furious. Frightened, Shabana rushed out of the house.

Sachin then latched the door from inside. He approached Shraddha, yelling “Your husband spoiled my face, now I will spoil yours.”

Sachin then sprayed an inflammable mosquito spray in the direction of Shraddha’s face and set the chemical on fire with his lighter, burning Shraddha’s hair, back, and neck.

When Minal intervened, he burnt her hands and face. The two women pushed the accused and rushed out of the house.

Sachin fled too. While locals said that Sachin had turned himself in to the cops, sources at Samta Nagar police station claimed that they had nabbed the man from near his residence.

“Sachin has been arrested under Section 307 of the IPC under attempt to murder charges. He had been trying to cause fights between the couple for a while,” said an officer.